LAKEVILLE, Conn. -- David Brabham's last-lap pole
run on Friday at Lime Rock Park was trumped by his performance Saturday
in the Northeast Grand Prix.

The No. 9 Patron Highcroft Acura ARX-01b driver put in one of
the best maneuvers in American Le Mans Series history with a first-turn
outside pass of Timo Bernhard to score Acura's first overall
victory in two seasons of ALMS competition in front of massive crowd
encircling the 1.53-mile road course.

Brabham, who co-drove to his second 24 Hours of Le Mans title
last month, came from a 5.5-second deficit with eight minutes remaining
in the two-hour, 45-minute feature to move around Bernhard's Penske
Porsche on the next to last lap. The native Australian took over the
driving chores from Scott Sharp with 90 minutes to go and worked his way
from fourth to second on Lap 126. The final 40 laps proved to be an
all-out sprint to the checkered flag, as Brabham and Bernhard diced their
way through the backmarkers in a thrilling down-to-the-wire finish.

The Patron Highcroft victory was its second of the 2008 ALMS
campaign, following a previous last-lap thriller with Brabham passing the
No. 7 Penske Porsche on the streets of Long Beach last April.

The win did not come easily for the nearby Danbury, Conn.,
organization after Sharp collided with a couple of other cars early in
the race. The Patron crew had to replace the No. 9 car's rear wing
in quick fashion and Sharp was able to remain on the lead lap as the
leaders barreled down on Sharp's mount.

It was then Brabham's spectacular drive to the front
capped a dream weekend for the Patron Highcroft team that included Friday
pole position and Acura's first overall American Le Mans Series
triumph.

The Mexican driving duo of Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz
piloted its No. 15 Lowe's Fernandez Acura ARX-01b to fifth overall
Saturday and a fourth-place finish in the LMP2 division. The
Lowe's car ran as high as third during the fifth stop on the
11-race ALMS tour, before settling for fifth due to a fuel economy
strategy.

The new combination of IndyCar Series star Marco Andretti and
Le Mans veteran Franck Montagny drove a solid come-from-behind race in
the No. 26 XM Satellite Radio Andretti Green Racing Acura ARX-01b machine
to finish sixth, overall after starting last in the 27-car field.
Andretti, who later drove the Nashville IndyCar Series race Saturday
night, started from the the back of the grid and drove to eighth before
handing the Acura over to Montagny.

The No. 66 Panasonic ELS Sound de Ferran Motorsports Acura
ARX-01b had a rough outing Saturday from a front starting spot. Drivers
Simon Pagenaud and Gil de Ferran were able to finish the race after
several pit stops due to electrical problems. The No. 66 car finished
14th overall, seventh in the LMP2 class.

DAVID BRABHAM (#9 Patron Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01b): "This
race was a tough one. With the sand coming up on the racing surface, it
was very easy to make mistakes. I am massively relieved we were able to
pull off this win. It was a hard charge to catch the Penske car at the
end. To go around the outside of Turn One and make that pass on Timo
[Bernhard] was a driver's dream move. I knew the Patron Acura was
really good today. I had a lot of confidence in the car to make that
type of move with only a lap or two left. I knew our car had the grip
and I had to go for it. This is huge win for our team, being that it is
a home race. It is very exciting to get Acura its first overall win in
the American Le Mans Series. Everyone at Acura and HPD has worked hard
for this win. It is a amazing to think where the Highcroft team has come
from starting last year with an all-new operation. Now, this overall win
at Lime Rock is just a fitting climax for us."

SCOTT SHARP (#9 Patron Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01b): "This is an
unbelievable win. We felt this would be a good track for us, as will
Mid-Ohio next week. On the first lap, one of the Penske Porsches tried to
slide under me in the first turn. I didn't want to get into the
marbles but the car shot up the track. Then I was wide, and the Penskes
and the Audis got by me. That got me mad, so I kept my head down and
drove as hard as possible. We knew we would be loose [oversteer] with
the car early on. I don't know what happened with [Simon] Pagenaud
during an early-race incident. I was going into the chicane and he hit
me and I spun. I got back going and just tried to stay out of trouble. I
wanted to give David [Brabham] a good car for the end. Duncan [Dayton]
and the crew did a great job with strategy today."

DUNCAN DAYTON (#9 Patron Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01b team owner):
"Long Beach was a huge win for us. The first one is always the
hardest. We came back from adversity and after getting hit from behind
with Scott. We had to pit and then go back out and change a floor on the
car. It is great that [chassis specialist] Nick Wirth and his guys have
this new quick-change rear and floor for us. It is tough to change
things here and not lose a lap. To see David drive the Patron Highcroft
Acura that way again was sensational. Just like he did from behind at
Long Beach. Scotty did a good job at the start of race with some of aero
[dynamic] stuff hanging off the car. That makes it hard to drive. The
competition level is so high here in the ALMS, and to win overall is an
honor. I am so proud of everyone on our team. Now, we move to Mid-Ohio
next week and look to win at the Acura Sports Car Challenge."

ROB HILL (#9 Patron Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01b team manager):
"We definitely rolled the dice with the fuel meter today. I had my
fingers crossed with two minutes to go in the race. We were going for it
and, if it ran out of fuel, those were the breaks. That was David being
David at the end. He is one awesome driver! When you need it from him,
he just delivers. It was a tremendous win for the team."

ERIK BERKMAN (President, Honda Performance Development): "Wow! You
couldn't have written a better story for our group at Acura and
HPD. It was a wild weekend with the front row for Acura and then we are
bumping into each other. We looked out of contention in the middle of
the race. The Patron Highcroft team did some heroic work in the pits to
stay on the lead lap. It was an amazing race. I followed Robert Clarke
in this position, and Robert did a massive amount of work to help make
this win possible. I am proud of all of the Acura teams and I am sure he
is, too. Winning overall is a new milestone for this young Acura
program. But we have to continue to work hard and keep pushing. I want
to congratulate Duncan [Dayton] and the whole Patron Highcroft Racing
organization for a superb effort in this Lime Rock victory."